Sleep apnea Board decisions

The Board has remanded the case for further development regarding a rating in excess of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain, including on an extraschedular basis. The claim also includes service connection for a ruptured Achilles tendon claimed as due to service-connected lumbosacral strain.

The appeal for service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and consideration of all theories of entitlement raised on appeal.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the Board dismissed it due to lack of allegations of errors in fact or law.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for a higher rating for lumbosacral strain, so the issue is dismissed.

The Veteran's service connection claims for a psychiatric disorder and sleep apnea have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury, disease, or event related to these conditions.

The Veteran's DDD of the lumbosacral spine is currently evaluated at 40 percent, effective July 15, 2013 and as 40 percent from July 1, 2016. The Board found that his symptoms do not warrant a higher evaluation under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine or the Formula for Rating Intervertebral Disc Syndrome Based on Incapacitating Episodes.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient evidence regarding whether it is proximately due to or aggravated by a service-connected disability, including cervical spine fusion or an acquired psychiatric disability. The case will be returned to the Board after further examination and medical opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the Veteran's sleep apnea and upper airway resistance syndrome. The VA needs to provide a thorough opinion on whether these conditions are related to service or caused by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are remanded due to the need for new VA examinations.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection of sleep apnea due to new and material evidence. The case is remanded for a VA opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issues of service connection for hypertension, allergies (including allergic rhinitis), a low back disability, and a left wrist disability.

The Board has granted service connection for sleep apnea, to include as secondary to service-connected hiatal hernia with GERD, asthma, and hypertension. The issue of service connection for a left knee condition, to include as secondary to service-connected status post right knee partial meniscectomy with degenerative arthritic changes, is remanded.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated as 50% disabling prior to March 11, 2013.,The Veteran’s lumbosacral strain is currently rated at 20% since October 21, 2006. The claim for a higher rating is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of June 29, 2016 for the award of service connection for sleep apnea. The decision found that no valid claim was filed prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to inadequate medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea, asthma, and anxiety disorders are related to service-connected asbestosis pleural plaques.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection, increased rating, and TDIU due to incomplete examinations and insufficient reasoning in previous decisions. The Veteran is required to provide updated medical records and undergo new examinations to determine if his back condition is related to service or aggravated by his left knee disability.

The Board has dismissed all claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's right hand condition, including the ring finger, fibromyalgia (claimed as chronic fatigue syndrome), migraine headaches, back disorder, folliculitis and acne, and obstructive sleep apnea are not service-connected.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to PTSD, finding that the Veteran did not exhibit clear signs and symptoms of sleep apnea until June 15, 2016.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea was received on July 14, 2015. The effective date of the grant is set at that same date.